LPGA Championship: Fantastic four share the lead in Incheon

AUSTRALIA'S Katherine Hull-Kirk, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and home favourites Pak Ju-young and Amy Yang are all tied at the top of the leaderboard in South Korea, one shot ahead of another Swede, Caroline Hedwall.

FOUR players share the lead after shooting five-under-par 67s in the first round of the LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.

Australia's Katherine Hull-Kirk, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and home favourites Pak Ju-young and Amy Yang are all tied at the top of the leaderboard, one shot ahead of another Swede, Caroline Hedwall.

Nordqvist, who posted six birdies and one bogey in her opening round, is on a four-year winless drought, and she told the LPGA website: "I would definitely like to win again, that's why we're out here.

"I feel like I put myself in a couple of good positions but I just haven't really finished well.

"All I can do is try to get better each day and right now that's what I'm trying to focus on. Everything else will happen."

She added: "I hit the ball really, really well today. I gave myself a lot of good opportunities and hit quite a few close.

"I think I had three or four lip-outs and still shot five under. I'm very happy with the day and I felt good out there."

Hull-Kirk, whose last win came in 2010, bogeyed twice but ended up with seven birdies.

"The last few years have been a little bit frustrating but at the same time, I've learned a lot and I think I'm a better player now than I was even when I won," she said.

"I think my best golf is still ahead of me, so I'm excited for the future and hopefully a lot more wins."